


A Bet On A New Generation

by Basilico



Category: One Piece
Genre: AND THEY WERE CREW-MATES, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Bickering, Blood, Confession, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Fights, First Kiss, Friends to Lovers, Heartwarming, Humor, M/M, Mutual Pining, Shanks and Buggy as co-captains, Slow Burn, Unresolved Romantic Tension, and heartwrenching, second chapter's got warnings, they're in love but think it's just friendship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-23
Updated: 2021-03-07
Packaged: 2021-03-15 22:00:02
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 9,457
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29071404
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Basilico/pseuds/Basilico
Summary: In which instead of a "Never, scram, I hate you", back in Loguetown the answer to that "come with me" is yes.In which Shanks and Buggy grew to be the most unbreakable, sweetest best-brothers-buddies couple that never went down the romance path once.In which the situation changes in Romance Dawn; for they're constantly buzzing around one another, both to argue and to support each other; even more so after a certain accident that for some reason woundsbothof them very deeply.In which Buggy and Shanks firmly believe that randomly fixating over certain traits of each other and defining them stylish or pretty many times a day is simply a display of mutual respect.In which Buggy and Luffy bond, mostly to tease Shanks.
Relationships: Akagami no Shanks | Red-Haired Shanks/Buggy
Comments: 7
Kudos: 43





	1. Rem tene

**Author's Note:**

> Because the anime gave us Luffy's backstory at least three different times, I think it's time we gave it a twist.
> 
> First give it completely different dialogues and points of view because why not.
> 
> Make it gay.  
> Give it dorks in love who don't know they are.  
> Give BUGGY-SAMA to it.
> 
> And we're good to go.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Because being Buggy means being pissed half of the time, and spend the other half with eyes fixed on Shanks.
> 
> That would count for Shanks too, if it weren't for Luffy being THE perfect target to bother.
> 
> Chapter title: grasp the subject-

Buggy's heels thumped on the pavement as he walked fast. He came out of the hold, pacing hurriedly on the deck as he got closer to the rest of the crew. Wrapped in a bright cape, wearing a t-shirt and large trousers of fabric, his hair high in a bun; the man spoke up in a demanding inflection.

"I want my knife back. I know someone took it, where is it?".

Only the closest person to the door promptly twisted his head towards Buggy; welcoming him with a warm smile. There was something about Shanks' smiles that the younger man found ever so comforting; that or terribly suspicious depending on the situation.  
Before the question could be phrased a second time; the captain drew his arm up, pointing his finger to the bowsprit.

"I'M NOT JOKING. NOW I'M ANGRY FOR REAL!"

on top of the wooden dragon head, seven year old Luffy was standing in the most pissed expression, holding Buggy's knife up in the air.

"THAT'LL SHOW YOU!".

Buggy nervously tapped his left foot, torn between being worried for his weapon and being curious about that brat's intentions.

A chuckle came from Red Haired Shanks.  
"FINE, GO AHEAD!" then he leaned over to Buggy's shoulder, whispering "I don't know what his intentions are, but-"

A high pitched scream echoed the second after the child stabbed himself under the left eye.

Both captain and co-captain went deadly white in the face.

"IT HURTS!"

While everyone yelled at Luffy in a panic not even the child himself was experiencing; Buggy groaned, then rolled his eyes.

"Of course it does!" he said taughtantly a second after splitting his body so that he could float and bring his kni- Luffy back down on the main deck.

* * *

Makino's tavern was open almost all day long.

"It's not a toy. You take a weapon? be conscious of its dangers". Buggy explained, as he polished the blade very carefully. The two of them were sitting at the bar alongside with Shanks, who'd been chatting with the owner and the kid for a while now. Why the clown had felt the impelling urge to join the conversation was a mistery even for himself.

"I know that. Don't talk to me like I'm a child!" Luffy pouted.

Makino intervened:"He's right. You need to be more careful if you're willing to set off one day".

At that point the kid felt surrounded by weaklings, dumb adults.  
He stood on top of his seat.  
"YOU ALL STOP MOCKING ME. I'M STRONG, FEARLESS, I'M A GROWNUP AND I AM READY TO COME WITH YOU!".

Buggy stopped the sake glass inches away from his mouth, then scoffed.  
"No you're not".

The child clenched his fists. "What about THEM, HUH?" his scrawny arm pointed at two flashy-looking guys who appeared to be younger than the rest of the crew.

The co-captain licked his lips, as he pondered his answer.  
"Oi Cabaji, Mohji!" he called out, still looking at Luffy.

"What is it boss?" they called him boss, how fucking satisfying.

"How old are you guys again?".

And they even answered promptly, without any kind of chit-chat.  
"Seventeen" Mohji lifted his hand.  
"Eighteen" Cabaji did just the same; it looked as though they were either connected or in constant competition.

The clown too, gave them the index.  
"And that is already too much of an exception for my taste".

Luffy gritted his teeth, as his face started turning red and veins started popping out.  
"THAT'S UNFAIR- NO, IT'S BEYOND UNFAIR. YOU'RE ALL DUMB AND- IT'S NOT FAIR!". Shanks rose a brow at the poor dictionary the child had.

Just when the clown was about to push that annoying kid back down sitting, Shanks joined the conversation.

"C'mon calm down and drink up your blueberry juice" he said with his mouth half full.

All out of the sudden Luffy did come back to reason, looking like the jolliest, tamest child on the world.  
Buggy and Makino exchanged a look, as he thanked the captain and sipped from a glass twice his face.

A loud snicker came from Shanks.  
"HAA! YOU'RE SUCH A BRAT, I CAN'T TAKE IT!"  
He then started guffawing, as he repeatedly slammed his fist on the counter.

The clown saw a good occasion, and went for it.  
He became very grave in the face. "Oi Redhead this is serious".

Luffy turned towards the blue haired man for a split of second, happy to have a backup.  
"Yeah Shanks" the kid too, now stared up at the captain with solemnity, "this is serious".

The redhead's eyes shifted between those two. Buggy had a smug smirk plastered on the face; he even rose a brow in a silent "what you gonna do about it, huh?".  
being indecise about whom should he tease first, the captain felt the urge to slam his plate on all that pretty makeup.

Then Luffy furrowed his brow, tilted his head back and looked the clown in the eye.  
"Why don't you call him captain?".

Shanks' eyebrows shot up in a second, as he enjoyed Buggy's expression lock up in pure distress. That was a gray area even Shanks had stopped questioning about a long time ago: Buggy could call him whatever made him feel comfortable. Of course _The captain_ was Roger, and calling your old bunk mate like that felt indeed too strange. But perhaps for a little tease...  
"Yeah Buggy, why don't you call me captain?".  
Well, how the tables had turned.

The younger man stammered a bit, then split in pieces so that he could gesture more broadly and make a better point.  
"He's not my boss, I'm co-captain".

Using the bara-bara no mi was a dirty move due to Luffy's easily impressionable nature; although that day he didn't even flinch.  
"I didn't ask what you are" he pointed at Shanks, who was prouder than he'd ever been "he's your captain".

The redhead bent the tip of his strawhat.  
"I'm your captain". He knew what he was getting into with that statement; but Buggy's reaction was simply priceless. The way his red lips curved in displeasure was something special that had never changed over the course of twenty years.

In nothing more than a low groan, the clown got up and went sitting with Benn Backman at a round table. Even if Shanks hadn't got acquainted to it yet, Buggy had unbelievably learned a tad about self-control during the course of their adventures, and knew better than to waste his flashy, dramatic wrath on a mushy afternoon with no significant audience.

Watching from the distance that bastard snicker, the younger man couldn't help but question his choices. Not being the one and only man in charge was already demeaning; but to stand in front of Shanks and address him with a "Oh captain my captain" was out of question. Although if someone entirely willing to listen would come at Buggy asking his motivations, he would not have the smallest idea about what to say.  
The captain looked in Buggy's direction, then stuck his tongue out, causing a furious heat to rise up on the clown's cheeks.

It took three officers to have Buggy cool off and sit back down; nonetheless no one could spare the redhead from four distinctive and quite elaborate death threats.  
The only people surprised by those were Makino and Luffy, who'd been trying to figure out the dynamic between the two men for a solid year now.

The co-captain could be heard grumble from time to time about how Shanks' captain title had just been luck.  
Indeed for a period, when the crew had just formed, they were known as the Red Pirates, due to Shanks' hair and Buggy's nose. Now the clown was not very fond of that; even when enemies referred to his nose to warn about his presence on the battlefield (Buggy was a quite feared filibuster), he would end up shouting throughout every single fight: very good strategy to impose dominance, but not as good for his head.

He then took the decision to dye his hair red, and did he regret it! Not only it clashed with his absolutely normal, divine and angelic, albeit red nose; but he'd been mocked for almost a full month. Even Shanks had teased him! Well, his jokes went on for less than a full day, and then it became all about "didn't think you could pull that off", or "C'mon it's not that bad" and other unnecessary flattery that God knows how were still stuck in his head.  
During those times the rumor of them being called the Red Hair Pirates spread around; thus when Buggy's dye had faded and he'd decided to come back to blue, everyone assumed that the Red Hair Pirates captain was indeed, Red Haired Shanks.

To be clear, he was still Buggy THE Clown, and no one could take the enormous progress he'd made in twelve years away from him; plus Shanks too was well aware of it, and the clown couldn't decide whether he cared so much out of rivalry or because in need of a support every now and then.

The man clasped his glass at that flash.

They had always had this intense relationship swinging between pure hate and unconditional trust: one day they couldn't bear the sight of each other and had to communicate via emissaries who would send messages from one end of the ship to another; one day they were napping together; one of them was nonchalantly leaning on the other one's shoulder in the middle of a conversation or completely out of the blue, or they were playing games together.

For instance, Buggy knew many card tricks, and had been banished more than once from betting games on the Red Force. They tried to include him by making him do the dealer; but he would simply have fun choosing the winner beforehand, serving'em just the right cards.  
There was this one time - the clown remembered it very clearly and could not avoid to make a face now in the tavern- in which Shanks played just to follow Buggy's hands, trying to unmask his tricks. Noticing his impudent hubris, the clown had decided to rip him off, but later on was forced by the rest of the crew to put each and every penny he got from the redhead in the ship's common treasure.

However, under Shanks' pressing curiosity, Buggy ended up treating him for dinner, away from the rest of the crew, to explain a single card trick. The captain had looked so jolly, and the clown had laughed and smiled, and had a really good time. Trying to teach a move to someone who was tipsy and focused on the cards with eyes wide open had surely been an experience.

Buggy came back to reality the second the door was swung open. A group of sketchy looking guys who seemed ready to pick up a fight walked in.

The tall man ahead of the bunch didn't even consider Buggy, and headed straight for the counter. He asked for some sake, and started whining because there wasn't any left.  
The clown didn't like him one bit; he might as well show some respect for pirates of their rank. Just when he was to stand up, Benn tucked Buggy's cape, inviting him to stay put. Again, that was nothing more than a mushy afternoon with no significant audience.

One of that man's companions briefly glanced at co-captain, giving him a look of spite.  
Oh he was close to losing it. How could Shanks keep his cool like that? How was it humanly possible? Knowing the redhead, he wouldn't blink even if-

The sake bottle crushed in a thousand pieces against Shanks.

Silence fell. Was he alright? Well of course he was, that was just alcohol. Perhaps the glass shards... no, Buggy couldn't see any major injure from where he was. What about his expression?

No, ok he was fine.

Shanks was fine.

They left. Looking at that redhead all wet like a stray puppy ~~and most importantly alright~~ Buggy realized he shouldn't have worried in the first place, and thus was the very first to burst out laughing. The whole room was soon full of howls, and no one lost their occasion to mock the captain a bit.

The older man glanced in the clown's direction, then shrugged in a half smile. Buggy'd better go help him get back on his feet.

Shanks had just finished to reassure Makino, when Buggy squatted all the way down and gave the man a good look. He noticed a scratch on the man's torso bleeding ever so slightly. The captain didn't move an inch, as he contemplated the other man licking a gloved thumb and wiping away that little blood on his chest. It gave him something called butterflies in the stomach, but that he would rather call unexpected, caring surprise; Buggy's touch was secure, as always.

"Am I gonna be ok doctor?". Shanks's eyes searched for Buggy's, but the younger man seemed to have no intention in leaving that small scrape alone.

"Of course not, you're gonna bleed out". At that, Luffy pulled off such a face that would have made Shanks die laughing; if it were not for that redhead locking his glare on Buggy and no one else but Buggy.

"Oh bummer, and I-".

"EVEN YOU CO-CAPTAIN?" in the end, the kid understood no one was pissed at those men. He'd hoped at least Buggy would say something to defend their honor, and felt very betrayed when it didn't happen. Once the child had finished bawling, calling them all cowards and not worthy of being pirates; it took Buggy all his nerve to try and explain, even if in an annoyed, loud kind of way, that it's not always necessary to pick up a fight (especially in a boring afternoon such as that one).

Then it happened: Luffy tried to walk away, Shanks grabbed him by the wrist, and there they had another devil fruit's user.

* * *

"NO, I DON'T WANT TO!" Luffy shouted to Buggy's face, as both of them were standing under a large tree. On the trunk of said tree was hanging a colorful target.

The co-captain, who'd been restraining himself from punching that insufferable punk in the face all day long, finally exploded.

"THEN WHY DID YOU EVEN BOTHER COMING?".

the kid shut his mouth and straightened up. He really hoped Buggy could teach him a thing or two about devil fruits, because then perhaps he could come along. He was still mad at them all nonetheless.

"You're not coming with anyways".  
As though he'd just read Luffy's mind, the clown spoke up in a disgruntled expression.

"I hate you!" the child yelled, holding back a tear and stomping his foot on the grass.

The clown split up "Well, see how much I care!", and with those words, the man started floating up on the branches so that he could get Luffy away from his sight.

Now said child was not very different from his peers, and thus could become cross for whatever mattered to him, even concerns adults could consider unnecessary or puerile. On the other hand, he was also very quick in turning back if his previous behavior had somehow deprived him of a grownup's attention he really wanted to get.

"Come back down and teach me! It's not fair, I can't reach you". He lowered his voice, hoping the clown would understand he'd calmed down and was now ready to learn.

Buggy swung his head around.  
"THEN PUT YOUR FRUIT TO A GOOD USE".

He hadn't considered the fact that the clown, on his behalf, wasn't ready to teach at all.  
None of them noticed Shanks walking towards their spot, and when he'd finally arrived under the shadow of the tree, the captain had to suffer trough a never-ending exchange of "do it", "I can't", "punch that thing already", "I tried", "try again", "I can't", "then scram", "I hate you", "I hate you too".  
It came to the point that the captain, same man who didn't so much as blink after an aggression the very day before, groaned loudly, exhausted after no more than a couple minutes of that bickering. 

He got their attention.  
"Buggy come on, we're setting off" for a moment there Shanks felt like a father in the park telling his son it's time to go home.

"He's not going anywhere" Luffy pouted "he needs to teach me!".

Shanks looked rather surprised.  
"Why? It's not like you're coming along".

The kid decided to definitively stop talking to Shanks, he deserved it.

Buggy on the other hand didn't seem that much keen about leaving. He said now he was too pissed altogether, and that he shall calm down first in order to be on his best possible mood for their exploration. What if they were to find a treasure, but Buggy was too sulking to enjoy it? No, that was out of question.

The captain understood that was Buggy growing up and trying to improve himself; but that person clasped so much with the image of the crazy, young cabin boy he used to know, that sometimes he would forget about all those changes. He would forget they were both adults now.

Shanks sighed, then paced towards Buggy's feet with the intention of grabbing them and forcing the co-captain back to the ship. That was the plan, however it took the clown no effort to make his ankles move, skip, jump up the trunk and come back to the body in a couple more moves.

The redhead gritted his teeth. To go trough such a pain in the ass to get a damn adult to climb down a tree was simply unaccepatble.  
"That's it. I'm coming up".

Luffy wondered how Shanks would have managed, but soon realized that was a silly question, for he was standing before an amazing (no, he was just a coward!) pirate; who climbed up the tree and faced the clown looking as though he was to battle his nemesis.

"You're not my boss, you can't tell me what to do". The moment the younger man pulled off that card, Red Haired Shanks started getting closer.

"I might not be your boss, but you're not mine either" he said back.  
Sometimes he forgot how fast the clown could split in pieces; jumping in his direction, Shanks remembered the hard way, almost falling back on the ground if it were not for Buggy holding him by the shirt with one detached hand, and sustaining his back with the other one.

The older man managed to hook his hands and feet on two big branches, looking like a starfish. however if Buggy had let go, he would have not been able to jump back on his feet that easily.  
And did he hate it. He felt blood rush up to his face and ears.

"Don't touch me!" he said, as motives for him to be pissed at the other man added up. The very first one being that impudent lack of respect, considering the redhead was older of a couple months. Yes, the bar was very low.

"I touch you whenever I want!" the clown snapped back, leaning forward and pushing the other man up; ready to start (and win) a quarrel they would have found serious at least fifteen years back.

Looking at the scene, Luffy couldn't resist.  
"So NOW you fight back Shanks?".

Buggy barked a:"Shut it", while the redhead went for a:"Be quiet Luffy"; nonetheless they spoke at the same time. That was enough for the kid to leave them there acting like brats and go train on his own instead. He was a grownup after all.

"Bye Luffy, try not to sink while we're away!" Shanks managed to say, not knowing what was yet to come.

Last time the child turned around, both men were floating up in the air, with Shanks willing to fall down so that he wouldn't have to owe anything to Buggy, and Buggy keeping him from hitting the ground so that the redhead would indeed, owe him at least a bottle.

Again, the bar was terribly low.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, there's another chapter ahead of us.  
> Now you might be thinking it's going to take at least a full month for me to write it, huh?  
> That's what I thought too; but this time...
> 
> You will not believe it...
> 
> brace yourselves...
> 
> I'VE ALREADY WRITTEN IT!
> 
> I know, that's crazy, how could it be, it's not real; only it is.  
> Next chapter will be coming out in no more than a couple days. Hope you enjoyed, let me know your opinions in the comment if you like!


	2. Verba Sequentur

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> their eyes locked.  
> Shanks' lips opened agape, and Buggy knew it was time for him to shut up, listen and be supportive.
> 
> spoiler: he doesn't.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> we got warnings here folks:  
> rough emotional reactions, trauma, permanent damage, hurt/comfort, Buggy is just wild in here, they need each other so much, fluff, hugging, kissing, angst, grief, shock, Buggy's on an emotional rollercoaster, no better:THIS is an emotional rollercoaster, doctor doesn't have a name, just call 'em doc.
> 
> chapter title: -words will follow.

Once the Red Haired Pirates where back in Romance Dawn, they found no one waiting for them at the seaport

Buggy hadn't even noticed; he'd been chatting with Yasopp, up until the captain had decided to place his elbow on his shoulder.  
The two man exchanged a look, and it was clear the older one was about to ask where everybody was, even though no one of their bunch could possibly know.

So Buggy talked first.  
"It's your kid Shanks, your problem".

Oh but what if Luffy was really angry at him? Not just pissed, legitimately furious and lost in discomfort? Perhaps Shanks could have a chat with him, treat him for dinner- no, that only ever worked with Buggy. A snack maybe? A pirate story terribly full of clichés?

The man patted Buggy's shoulder, then started walking towards the town's square, lost in his thoughts.

"Is he panicking?" Benn Backman proposed, smirking.

As they all followed the strawhat, the co-captain answered to that with a:"C'mon Benn, being a single dad is not that easy" getting a chuckle from a good half of the crew. Now that was the kind of ridiculously small success one holds onto when something horrible happens, to remember that nonetheless, there still is a fun and light matter in the world. 

It didn't take them long to find a crowd circled up in the middle of the street.

Shanks paced forward, unsure about the nature of the situation.  
"How come no one was-" he briefly paused, as he tried not to look taken aback "waiting for us". That wasn't much more than a whisper.

The captain put on a mask of composure, as the man of the other day pressed his heel against Luffy's temple. Watching the kid on the ground, visibly hurt, and yet still conscious; Shanks felt relieved beyond imagination.  
His eyes met immediately with the child's: a glassy, bright glare that meant security, and that everything was going to be alright.  
"Say Luffy, wasn't your punch supposed to be as strong as a pistol fire?".

"SHUT UP SHANKS" Luffy pouted, and if he had the strength to complain, he was fine.

Buggy was close enough to understand what was going on. Perhaps Luffy should have glanced at his face instead: his eyes were narrow, his mouth curved in anger, and none of it was for those blokes, but for the very child. So he did have a talent for mingling in trouble! How was it humanly possible to be so much careless? Wasn't Luffy able to ponder his chances and back off in the moment of need? 

Yes, if Buggy was being so much judgemental, it meant he wasn't sensing any kind of big danger. A good look at the clown and all that tension would disappear.

The man scoffed. Why Shanks was standing there like an idiot, he couldn't understand either. Both of them knew how fast and amazing Shanks was with his sword: it would take him a second to slice up that show-off and put him at rest for good. It was about time Luffy saw how incredible the captai- the redhead was.

The co-captain was just about to intervene, throw a knife at that bandit and see if he could manage to cut his throat open; when a man of their bunch pointed a gun at Shanks' temple.

"You should never use this as a mere threat" Shanks said, both as an unfriendly advice, and a sign for the rest of his own crew.

Now Buggy hated being that redhead's puppy, following his unspoken orders; but yet again he was acting recklessly. One should never underestimate a henchman pointing a gun, of course those people were not a real threat, but a bullet in the head is a bullet in the head nonetheless.

The clown pulled out his own pistol; a knife would be a good deal more scenic, but not as efficient. He got a clear shot with both eyes open; as he promised himself to give Shanks a lesson about wariness later that day.

"Get closer Buggy, you won't make it from here" Yasopp pointed out, as though he was scolding a forgetful pupil of his.

He got a scoff as an answer, followed by a:"Who do think you're talking to?".  
Why of course to the most cowardly, painstaking man among the Red ~~Haired~~ Pirates. The hell Buggy was getting any closer.  
A second after, the younger man shot forward his own hand, then fired up as soon as the muzzle brushed against that man's temple. A loud bang brought everyone's attention to the vivid spurt of blood coming out of a hole in the bandit's head. It all unraveled in such a speed no one could possibly understand what had just happened.

Some gasps resonated through their circle, and there it was: the redhead safe and sound in his black cape. Buggy's chest became lighter all out of the sudden. 

Once again, they were addressed as cowards.  
The captain pulled off a smirk. "Who do you think you're talking to?" -The clown held back from calling him a copycat in front of the enemy- "we are pirates, sir".

And it was on. Finally Buggy could show off his skills: splitting in pieces and throwing his knifes around in an accuracy down to the millimeter. For all those bandits it sure seemed like being trapped in a net; for they were unable to guess the weapons's trajectories, or the position of Buggy's hands, which were moving around ready to catch and aim again.

Impressive, that was all Shanks could think about. He should be careful not to underestimate his co-captain too much, because with all that potential-

A loud thump, a cloud of smoke, and both kid and aggressor were gone.

Now, Shanks started panicking. He turned towards is companions.  
"I GOT DISTRACTED, NOW LUFFY'S GONE WHAT DO WE DO GUYS?".

Unbelievably, Buggy too resulted quite invested in the child's disappearing.  
"DUMBASS HOW COULD YOU!".

"WHAT ABOUT THAT INSANE CHAOS YOU JUST SHOWED OFF? QUIT MAKING IT SO COOL, IT'S CONFUSING."

"Oh so now it's MY FAULT?" Buggy theatrically stressed that sentence, "YOU'RE SO FAST ON YOUR FEET, COULD HAVE KILLED HIM IN ONE MOVE!".

Benn rose a brow, as he tried to bring the... argument? To an end.

"Let's split up, they can't be far from here".

Shanks went for the shore, while Buggy went up to the forest, and even had an unpleasant encounter with a legitimately over-sized tiger. But that's another story.

* * *

It was a matter of less than one hour before word spread around that Shanks and Luffy were safe back on the shore. It took Buggy a little more to come down from the mountains, and he still managed to be among the first ones to rush and meet them.

The clown started rehearsing an inspirational, flashy speech in his mind as soon as he had a blurry glimpse of the kid and Shanks' figures on the sand. 

He smiled, because from where he was, everything seemed to be fine. For the second time that day, Buggy's chest lightened at the sight of that redhead.  
Getting closer, the man appeared soggy, perhaps he had to take a swim; the clown could already picture him a couple hours from now wrapped up in a blanket, sneezing, and with a hot cup of bitter gentian spirit at hand to feel fancy while looking like shit.  
A quick scold to the kid, another jump at the tavern, an evening of teases and praises and old stories, and Buggy was most certainly to invade that redhead's bed at night; he deserved nothing less after such a tense day. They both did.

Once he was close enough to turn shapes into defined frames, Buggy's eyes traveled down to the dark, red stain on Shanks' left sleeve.  
It took him a second to piece the situation together; as he stared, holding his breath and feeling a sense of dread pervade his body: Shanks' arm was gone.

His legs stopped working, as though every bit of energy flowing in his body was drawn on his faculty of elaboration.

He saw the numb, guilty expression plastered on the man's face: a tearing pain in his contracted muscles, a look of dismay, when his eyes met for a split od second with Buggy's. That was the very first time a flash of hollowness transpired from the captain's glare.

Was he ok? No of course he wasn't, why even ask the question in the first place? Maybe out of habit, maybe because the younger man was desperately trying to win back the comforting feeling of safeness he'd been holding onto since-

Since forever.

Now, he had to regain his composure and start pacing again. Just a few more steps, and Buggy was to choose his approach both towards Luffy and Shanks. First thing he should clear his thoughts; the best choice considering their state of mind was to act as though everything was, and was going to be fine; pull in a tad of apprehension and then treat that nasty wound right away. That was most certainly not the best time for questions. Later on the clown could take Luffy alone and give him that famous speech, but filled with tender, sporadic "do you understand?", or "alright kiddo?" and such details. At least that was the original plan. 

The more he looked at that scarred picture, the more Buggy felt as though Shanks had just failed him; for he'd been willing to die (as that word fluttered in the back of his mind, the pit in the co-captain's stomach grew deeper) to leave him behind for nothing more than a brat. Perhaps that was a little too much, a child such Luffy didn't have the experience to be wary and considerate, but Shanks...  
No, Buggy's head became void all out of the sudden. He didn't even care to know how it happened, such was the blinding grief he was experiencing.

That was a huge loss. Had Shanks ever realized how immature, how irresponsible was to take such a debilitating hit? Why couldn't Shanks be more careful? Shanks had never understood the simpler concept of _caring_ for his own life. It was a miracle Shanks could even stand on his feet, It looked as though Shanks could fall down at any second; but Buggy fought the urge to run and go and sustain him, and hold him tight. _Shanks_ was an adult after all.

Shanks was responsible for his own life.

Shanks, as he watched the younger man pacing ashore, didn't know whether he'd be able to sustain a glare such as Buggy's. His mind felt blurry, his whole body sore, drained.

So he blinked in disbelief once his very best friend walked past him without hesitation.

"Are you hurt?" the co-captain rested his hands on his hips; his voice growing flat, his glare terribly piercing.

"No" Luffy muttered, as he too seemed to be quite indecise about facing the blue haired man.

But Buggy had always been awfully good at spotting liars. "Look at me" he said.

He pondered to grab the kid by the collar, but realized that would be excessive. Again, not his fault.  
Buggy ended up holding Luffy by the armpits, then lifted him so that not making eye-contact would be impossible.

"Look at me" he said a second time, stressing every word in gritted teeth.

Luffy did.

"What the hell were you thinking? Do you realize how thoughtless that was? And for what, huh?" the clown didn't have even the smallest part of the story, and yet decided the kid was smart enough to piece the scold to his own actions.

"I..." his eyes started getting watery. Oh he was not going to cry like that; but he knew Buggy was right, it was because of him that Shanks...

A look at the child and the older man, as with a foot in the grave as he might have seemed, considered telling the younger man the whole story, before he could pick on Luffy for something that had little to do with him. "Buggy-"

"Life, Luffy is the one thing you can't give away. You can make a fool out of yourself, of get ripped off, or even left behind you- " he stammered, searching for the right words to reach the child. Buggy imagined for a second how would it be to live another life in which he wasn't as strong, if hadn't his companions, or if he hadn't Shanks. "You can't even imagine the amount of madness a person can go trough if it's in order to stay alive, to live up to something. Because if you live, you can always make it better".

Even if not meant for him, those words reached for the redhead, and felt painfully true. _Why are you saying this, Buggy?_ was he talking for himself? Was there something that had happened in the past to make him so much fond of those words? Beyond the incoming sight failure and the complete absence of pain, Shanks felt his chest tightening at the impelling desire to grab Buggy by the hand. That or the blood loss was about to make him faint.

"But if you're so stupid, so full of yourself to even barely think to give it all up for a reckless impulse" his mind joined the same cloud of numbness in which Shanks' was.  
"Losing your life is not worth it. Never".

He had nothing else on the tip of his tongue; except maybe for a fair reminder. He barely found the strength to swing his head around; a wicked fire flashed in his pupils. He would have liked to spout a "how could you", and hold the other man close, and bring him immediately back to their doctor; but he could see their people coming along, running on the sand.  
"And that, counts for you too" a venomous hiss that hit Shanks right in the heart.

* * *

That night no one slept there on the Red Force. Perhaps someone did have a nap, or at least try to rest the eyes; but not Buggy.  
He spent a number close to nine hours between sitting in front of their doctor's cabin, and nervously walking back and fro on the deck. His mind kept on jumping from thought to thought, as he pictured every possible scenario, from the nastiest to the least unbearable.  
The clown could swear all the face painting on his forehead had turned into a reddish stain due to the insane amount of time he spent to rub it, and it didn't matter how many times his nakamas had tried to talk him into having a snack, a drink, a walk in town; the only change in Buggy's routine resulted to be going in the bathroom to cool down.

After he splashed a handful of freezing water on his face, the man spent a relatively long time staring back at his reflection.  
He hadn't cried; Shanks could be already dead and he couldn't even see a drop of grief on his face (that of course was just Buggy's personal opinion). What was wrong with him? He couldn't even let go the warm picture of the two of them sleeping together, as if nothing had happened, as if Shanks were completely fine, and Buggy could complain about the tiresome day, and the redhead could answer half-aslepp in a mumble, and they could hug in a mushy warmth.

The man's stomach was revolting. A furious blush of unknown cause spread across his cheeks along with a breath taking heat. Buggy drew back a couple of hair strands.  
"Stupid Redhead" he muttered, as his foot hit the corner of a counter.  
Now there wasn't the need to blame it all on the forniture, but what was the alternative option?

"No rest for the wicked, huh?" Benn's husky voice made Buggy jolt on the spot; he felt as though he'd just been caught while doing something pretty much illegal. Only this time Shanks was not with him, nor within reach in any way.

The co-captain placed both hands on the sink, still not facing Backman.  
He sighed very deeply.  
"Leave me alone Benn, I don't want to snap at any of you guys". This time it wasn't just about self improvement: Buggy knew he could not handle people talking at him while his whole being ought to be concentrated on worrying.  
Not that worrying could do any good; nonetheless there was one thing the clown wasn't ready for.

If anyone, even the most dependent deck hand had even tried to look at him and say:"What do we do now _captain_?" he would have lost it.

How ironical.  
Buggy grimaced as he thought how much he's always wanted to be addressed as captain.  
Not a sound from the corridor.

He was lost in his own world to the point of believing Benn had left.  
So, once he'd closed his eyes, turned around and sunk on the ground in a mixture of exasperation and fatigue; the clown pressed his thumb and index on his forehead.

"He's going to be fine. You trust doc, don't you?".

Buggy's eyes opened in a split of second, and he found out he didn't have the strength to argue, nor give an opinion anymore.

"Good" the man considered the silence a yes, "because he's done, right now".

The co-captain didn't remember jumping on his feet; he only knew his legs were moving and they were moving fast.

The doctor looked as shaken as Buggy, which according to the whole crew, was the maximum level of apprehension reachable.

"How is he? Can I see him?" the co-captain blurted out in a hurry, and yet waited for a positive response. If he were to burst in and pass Shanks an infection, or bacteria, or anything else that could possibly take him away even longer (he refused to spell death in his mind); he was not going to forgive himself that easily.

The doctor drew a very long sigh, grim in the face as their brow furrowed.  
"Let's wait 'till he wakes up" another person of few words that only gave out facts. That brevity and precision tranquilized the clown over any possible imagination.

A hand patted Buggy's shoulder.  
"Have a nap Buggy, I promise you'll be the first one to see him" Yasopp said tenderly, as he tried to push the man towards his cabin.

The co-captain rubbed at his eye; perhaps he could have a bit of rest, it was almost four a.m. after all.  
Once in his cabin, Buggy let himself fall on the bed, then clenched his sparkly cape as close as he could. In the dark it was almost impossible to appreciate the bright purple and the blinding glitter; in fact it looked as though it had turned black, just like Shanks'. Who was alright.  
Buggy wondered what should he say once he was to face his favorite former cabin boy. Even if he wasn't used to living up to his serene concept of arguments; he tried to forge one nonetheless.

If Shanks wasn't in the mood for a chat; Buggy would tell him that everything was going to be just fine, then would stay at his side for how long he pleased.

If Shanks was more than fine chatting; Buggy would listen, and nod, and ask questions, perfectly composed and appropriate questions.

If Shanks was on the brink of war, unsettled; Buggy would try to reason with him and keep his curses as low as possible. 

He was too tired altogether for a fight, and he only cared about resting, resting with the redhead.

His eyes fell shut a second after, and lead him into a dreamless sleep.

* * *

"You don't have to see him right now, so that you know" the ship surgeon said, as they laid back on a chair. "Buggy's still asleep and you barely know where you are, I say meet him in the afternoon".

The clock on the wooden wall read eight a.m.  
Shanks, a migraine hammering behind his eyes, chewed on his own cheek. He refused to glance over anywhere near his left arm. He wasn't ready. He didn't feel safe.

He could not take it.

"No" the captain strongly shook his head, eyes wide open. "I'd like to- can you take him here, please?" that turned out more pathetic than he imagined it would.

The other person looked at the redhead up and down.  
For a moment Shanks experienced a silent, slimy grudge sliding up his throat. So from now on everyone was to stare at him with the same pity, huh? That wasn't quite the fair thought, since their doc was just concerned about a patient; nonetheless it burned.

"Aye captain" they managed to whisper, as they got up and headed for the door. 

A couple of dark, unsettling and silent minutes went by; as Shanks tried to piece together whatever he could tell Buggy. Just knowing the other man had managed to get some sleep was wonderful, it meant at least one of them was alright. Better say that's what he thought so: the captain decided to focus a bit on his best friend, firstly because that way he didn't have to think about his own small problem, and secondly because he was deeply concerned about him. Buggy had always been a ticking bomb, very fragile indeed if under stress; of course Shanks had to be strong for both of them.

The captain forgot for the umpteenth time they'd been grownups for a while now, but there were a lot of things fluttering around his foggy mind at that moment.

A creak coming from the end of the room brought him back to reality.  
He quickly turned his head around. A wry smile curved his lips as no one but Buggy the Clown came in. 

The younger man smiled back, and it seemed as though he'd forgotten how to walk for a second.  
Shanks lost the faculty of speech, as his eyes flickered. Now he was absolutely sure everything was going to be just fine.  
"Come here". The older man playfully patted the mattress, hoping Buggy would go sit at his right.

He did.  
Silence lingered between the two men, as they both tried to read the room: what was the best way to make one another feel more comfortable?

"How are you feeling" -the younger man had a bit of trouble deciding how to call him- "Shanks?". He should have said redhead instead: way more informal. And the way he said "Shanks"... Ugh he wasn't trying to tell a child his hamster had just went to the happy farm, for God's sake.

"Doc put me on painkillers, so not much actually" he tried to smile, although his voice sounded very husk.

Buggy simply nodded, and they were back at barely looking at one another; both wondering what they would like to say and hear.

Actually there was something that popped out of the redhead's mind.  
"Don't blame it on the kid, it's not his fault". He could ask about Luffy later on that day, now it was all about the two of them; Shanks could swear he stopped to acknowledge the rest of the world around him. The rest of the crew could be dead, or on freaking Laughtale, and still he would not care.

"Oh I know, I blame it on you dumbass".  
Was it too much? The younger man froze; but once he heard Shanks scoff, and saw him licking his lips, it was all gone.

"Yep, that's me". Although there was something terribly wrong in his eyes.

"Look at the bright side: if I keep going this way it won't take long for you to become the one and only captain" he said, following up with what should have probably been a chuckle, but came out as a choked sound.

"Don't you ever say something like that again" the younger one snapped, as he swung his head around. He could have kicked overboard anyone else of his nakamas for such a statement; although to hear it from Shanks sure was something.  
_Calm down, go easy on him_. He decided to follow his plan of action, and be composed for the redhead's sake.  
Thus Buggy lowered his glare.  
"H-how am I supposed to enjoy my righteous role if I can't rub it in your face?". He stammered, a stammer that brought a brief panic in his soul, and resulted in the defensive, high pitched tone the clown usually pulled off as a reflex.

Nothing could have made Shanks feel more nostalgic and at ease than his dear Buggy acting flustered. That sight moved a pleasant warmth in his chest, and without a second thought, the redhead's hand was on the clown's.

their eyes locked.  
Shanks' lips opened agape, and Buggy knew it was time for him to shut up, listen and be supportive.

"I think you would be a fine captain. I'm serious! You're so good at inspiring people, it wouldn't take you that much time to bring our number to a solid hundred. Let's get real man, you don't need me at all"

_What the hell are you talking about?_

"And look at me, I mean- this past couple years I've done nothing but fall apart. I like playing the adult, but if it weren't for the eye I wouldn't be this conscious, and Luffy would already be in our crew for a long time now"

_Don't say that, it's not true._

"Excuse me, who says I would have let you? Na-ah, no way". That ipotetical way of speaking sounded strange, and the way Shanks was using it to downgrade himself was very much concerning.

At least Buggy got a smirk back. It wasn't going so bad; exception made for all the bullshit the redhead just blurted out of course.

"I still haven't asked anything to doc. I'm a bit scared to know what I can and can't do, but don't tell anyone. Well I guess they can already piece it together, I am human after all. But what if I can't fight anymore? Or can't go and explore the unknown? Or even be a decent captain?"

_I can't see you like this Redhead_

"From the moment I was back on the shore, a -it was nice 'till it lasted- has been pounding in my head, and I don't even have the strength to look at the consequences of my actions. But Buggy, what else was I supposed to do? I-" He squinted, as his lips tightened.

_Don't talk like you're already gone_

Shanks searched for the right words. "I've been thinking. Buggy could it be this was my duty? A sacrifice I had to made? It- my body just moved and I barely could tell what was happening and- I hope you've been filled in on the whole situation. I guess- Luffy deserves at the very least to grow up and try to be a pirate, doesn't he?" he stoop up. His own words hyped him up.

_Don't get up_

Shanks's eyes flickered, as he closed his mouth and stayed put, waiting.  
The other man drew a long sigh. The redhead was clearly off the deep end, and Buggy was forcing himself not to spit in his face. He cupped his nose and mouth, then looked at the other man, tried to figure out whatever was going on in his head. It had always been easy, or at least easier.

"Don't look at me like that" the captain smiled as though he'd settled on the idea of being done. "Let's say I made a bet on a new generation".

Buggy blacked out for a second; his blind rage brought him against Shanks, fisting his shirt and pushing him back 'till he was against the wall.  
A long walk indeed, and Shanks didn't resist one bit.

"Shut up. Shut it, do you even listen to yourself?".

Their eyes met; Shanks' were wide open, flickered in surprise and made Buggy come back to reason.

"Crap, did I hurt you?" he said without thinking, and not realizing what those words meat for the other man.

"Even you're gonna start to treat me differently, huh Buggy?" he grimaced, looking like a wounded puppy.

The younger man kept eye-contact, appalled.  
You know what? Fuck it.  
"WHAT IN THE LIVING HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU?" Buggy shook the redhead by the shirt, as he tried to be careful not to make him bump against the wall.

"You've been under the knife for nine hours, ok you slept, you think it's nothing. Fine, but we- I-" the clown lowered his voice, as he got the closer he could. "I'm not treating you like nothing happened when you rant about being done, and even being _destined_ , and I repeat: destined to an eternal doom".

The redhead's glare softened, his muscles relaxed, and his only guide in the dark and objective became Buggy.  
"Don't tell me you stayed up the whole operation" his voice was a pool of peace, "Buggy dear" -he didn't know why, but to call him like that as his voice started to tremble felt only right- "I know I'm not thinking straight and thank you for making me notice my own bullshits, but you seem just as shaken, it's going to be alright, so that you know".

If Shanks thought it was possible to hide the thunderstorm of emotions away from the other man, the painkillers were having a wonderful effect.  
Buggy knew too well the redhead was never going to admit anyting beyond that "I'm a bit scared"; but to try and put the Clown before himself was over the top.

"What's that? don't you dare" Buggy's hand loftly slid on Shank's chest, searching for that little cut from a couple days back.  
"I should be the one reassuring you little shit, I know we're going to be just fine, and you're gonna be a hell of a captain for the rest of your days" his words and body language betrayed his aggressive inflection.

The older man chuckled, as he drew his hand up to Buggy's for the second time that morning. Of course he was not ever mentioning the crushing fear gloating in his stomach, but he needed a contact in order not to freak out.  
"But Buggy, you comfort me in so many other ways every day".

Like that, on the verge of tears, Shanks' image was simply breath-taking. Buggy's stomach revolted at the mere thought.

The Clown licked his lips.  
"Listen closely 'cause I won't repeat myself: I'm here, I'm never leaving and you are going to live with that".

"I know, I know" the captain said, voice breaking.

"No you don't" the co-captain snapped.

The older man took a second to bore himself in those owl eyes; then he felt the need of a deeper touch. For a moment Buggy thought Shanks was going to kiss him; so he held his breath, and drew his neck back, and froze on the spot, and legitimately started to burn when the man buried the head in the crook of his neck.

"You bastard have no idea" was the choked, rumbling phrase that pressed against Buggy's neck, and made him shiver.  
Their hearts were hammering, divided by their hands tangled alone.  
They let go just to turn that little space in no space at all, to wrap each other in a tight grasp, too strong to be defined hug.  
Their bodies drew a line; as Buggy kept thinking about the mere possibility of a make out session- no, not that, just their lips together. How intimate and inviting... Reassuring was the right word.

He could feel Shanks' mouth twitching against his skin.

"Are you going to cry big boy?". After all it was already eight in the morning and Buggy hadn't been annoying yet.

"Shut up I'm not crying". The redhead talked back out of habit, then broke in a chuckle, and said:"You are".

"Huh, How?" the Clown caressed those red hair, as he pondered whether it would be weird to leave a kiss there. 

"Buggy?" The redhead called out just before lifting his head back up.

"What?" the Clown lifted a brow in confusion, but jolted when Shanks drew his palm to cup his jaw. It was a firm, desperate grasp. It seemed as though it was ment to drag, not to hold still.

Shanks realized he just wanted to say Buggy's name, to feel it on his tongue. He blushed, then looked down and grinned at the thought of looking like a flustrated kid, his old cabin-boy-self perhaps.

At that point the younger man couldn't take it any longer. The redhead was still up on the clouds when Buggy leaned in. It was an instinct, a gut thing: he shut his eyes and went for it. He didn't think even for a second to consider it something romantic, or lustful, or physical; but there was for sure the urging desire of a deeper touch he could share with Shanks. On his side, the captain was taken aback, and stayed still with eyes wide open lost in a panic led not so much by discomfort, but absolute surprise.

Buggy backed off, loosened his grip and understood that was awkward; nonetheless he couldn't find a drop of regret to hold onto, and it was obvious. So obvious the redhead would have liked to say or do something, anything; but he barely knew where he was at the moment.

The Clown didn't apologize, why would he? He liked that for some reason and it wasn't something he could take back anyway. But maybe Shanks needed some time to piece it all together in peace.

Buggy definitively let go, then headed for the door. "Now you have something to think about, you can thank me later" he casually said pointing right at the redhead.

"Buggy wait-" Shanks finally managed to say, as the other man closed the door behid him.

The co-captain walked fast, brushing his forhead as he started to realize what he'd just done.  
He stopped once outside on the deck, then tried to cool down by contemplating the wooden pavement.

Before his brain could come out of that intense fog, a loud thump came from the entrance he'd just stormed out.

"Buggy!" was the last thing he heard before Shanks' grasped his shoulder to make him turn around and, in a split of second, kissed him deeply.  
Now that was a real kiss, it had nothing to do with the chaste, caring smack Buggy delivered: as their breaths mingled, Shanks closed his eyes, tilted his head and pushed, going all in. His nose brushed against the Clown's cheek, who tried to kiss back failing miserably. This time it was the younger one who kept his lids open and had no idea how to react.

At least there was no tongue; Buggy found himself thinking he would have liked to at least have his eyes shut for a french kiss.

All around them, their nakamas either started to clap, whistle, or of course tease.  
"I'm having what he had!" and "nice catch Buggy!" were frankly the best of the bunch, since everyone assumed their captain was on rather strong painkillers.

Once they parted, Shanks leaned his whole weight against Buggy.  
"Ok?" he said in hard breath.

The Clown swallowed, then nodded.  
"Ok".

"Perfect" his glare would have lightened if it weren't for the strain the redhead had failed to consider. "Now take me back inside or I'm fainting here".

The co-captain wrapped his arm around Shanks' back, sustaining him so that they could walk together.  
"Alright".

Lucky Roux did snicker, but still guessed something was on. "Congrats you guys"

"Shut it" Buggy snapped without even thinking.

"Oi, can you sleep with me tonight?" Shanks said, once they entered the corridors. He didn't have the strength nor the will to correct his phrasing, and Buggy wasn't in the mood for a tease. 

The Clown didn't know how to answer; he would have loved to, but yet again perhaps Shanks' condition wouldn't permit it.  
Oh what the hell! He could sleep on a chair of fucking float in the air for one night. As he thought so, Buggy realized he'd really grown up after all.

"I don't think so, but we'll manage".

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> whenever you find yourselves in a tricky situation, want to explain, but don't know where to begin with, take a deep breath.
> 
> grasp the subject, and words will follow.  
> -Cato the Censor-
> 
> That's been my motto while writing this story.  
> Did it work?  
> Eh.  
> Mhh.  
> Well.  
> Kind of?

**Author's Note:**

> Some quoting needs to be done.  
> I've been wanting to write this since I watched a "What If" video on youtube by Tekking101, who proposed this scenario with Buggy in the Red Haired Pirates. Loved it, found it very inspiring.


End file.
